www.irishtimes.com

Explanations: No. 14618 – Monday, 7 November 2011

I’m not very musical, and don’t play an instrument. I do love to listen to music though, anything from the Middle Ages right up to the 1980s. I got left behind at the start of the 1990s, I’m afraid.

Even though don’t play, I do know that the eight notes in an octave can be labelled as do-re-mi etc. or as A, B, C right up to “G”. That’s useful when working on a cryptic crossword, as sometimes we’ll see the word “note” in a clue, often used to signify one of these letters, A, B, C up to G. Here’s an example from today’s puzzle:

10A: Free toilets, take note (5)The cryptic part of this clue is “toilets take note”. Toilets are LOOS, and our LOOS have to take a “note” to reveal the answer. A quick run through the letters A to G tells us there is only one possibility, and that’s the letter E. So we come up LOOSE, nice and “free”.

Please feel free to leave a comment below. If you have a question about today’s puzzle I am sure that I, or a fellow solver, can answer it for you.

How did you fare with this crossword?

Across
1 Free to describe the roof maybe? (2,3,5)
ON THE HOUSE
Free (ON THE HOUSE) to describe the roof maybe (ON THE HOUSE).6 Need a letter from a Greek saint? (4)MU-ST
A letter from a Greek (MU) saint (ST) = MUST: need.10 Free toilets, take note (5)LOOS-E
Toilets (LOOS) take “note” (E) = LOOSE: free.11 In future, are reported to Northern Ireland cabinets, maybe (9)FU(R-NI)TURE
In “future” (FU-TURE) [“are” reported(R) to “Northern Ireland” (NI)] = FURNITURE: cabinets, maybe.12 It’s like some exercise for a sly chap, I suspect (8)PHYSICAL
A “sly chap, I” suspect = PHYSICAL: it’s like some exercise.13 This number and those numbers, they’re all inadvisable (2-3)NO-NOS
This number (NO) and those numbers (NOS) = NO-NOS: they’re all inadvisable.15 Something speeding back and forth? (7)RACECAR
Something speeding (RACECAR) back and forth? (RACECAR is a palindrome).17 Able to travel over the snow, unusually full (7)SKI-LFUL
To travel over the snow (SKI) unusually “full” (LFUL) = SKILFUL: able.19 He waits for her, a French saint, somewhere in the hospital (7)STE-WARD
Her, a French saint (STE) somewhere in the hospital (WARD) for = STEWARD: he waits.21 Half the athletes get the one place, on the Shannon (7)ATHL-ONE
Half the “ATHL-etes” (ATHL) get the “one” (ONE) = ATHLONE: place on the Shannon.22 A conflict with old Penny and Grant (5)A-WAR-D
A conflict (A WAR) with old penny (D) and = AWARD: grant.24 Flying high and electric, perhaps the six go into a casino resort (8)A(VI)ONICS
Into a “casino” resort (A-ONICS) the “six” go (VI) = AVIONICS: flying high and electric, perhaps27 It might screen a cigarette that’s a flop (5,4)SMOKE BOMB
A cigarette (SMOKE) that’s “a flop” (BOMB) = SMOKE BOMB: it might screen.28 The wherewithal to get me an answer, quickly (5)ME-ANS
Me (ME) an “answer”, quickly (ANS) to get = MEANS: the wherewithal.29 Those people get two letters in front of Theo (4)THE-M
Two letters in front of “the-O” (THE-M) get = THEM: those people.30 They were there at 10:00, to stand around (10)AT-TEN-DANTS
At 10:00 (AT TEN) to “stand” around (DANTS) = ATTENDANTS: they were there.

Down
1 Some boyos loaning capital that’s frozen? (4)
OSLO
Some “boy-OS LO-aning” = OSLO: capital that’s frozen?2 Upset, O hatchet! O chopper, upset! (9)TOOTHACHE
Upset “O hatchet O” = TOOTHACHE: chopper (i.e. tooth) upset.3 They’re in charge of business XX, so it’s said (5)EXECS
“XX” so it’s said = EXECS: they’re in charge.4 Offer containing one hundred and one of the 3-down (7)OFF(IC)ER
Offer (OFF-ER) containing “one hundred” (IC) and = OFFICER: one of the EXECS.5 Counsel taking a big car for the paper rounds, perhaps (7)SC-ROLLS
Counsel (SC) taking “a big car” (ROLLS) for = SCROLLS: the paper rounds, perhaps.7 You said the act made a comeback (1-4)U-TURN
“You” said (U) the act (TURN) made = U-TURN: a comeback.8 “The manuscript with more than one elf?” they said reflectively (10)THE-MS-ELVES
The manuscript (THE MS) with “more than one elf” (ELVES) = THEMSELVES: “they”, said reflectively.9 Wicked end, to one into fish (8)FI(END-I)SH
Into “fish” (FI-SH) “end” to “one” (END-I) = FIENDISH: wicked.14 Cry at the stalest broadcast from old radio (7,3)CRY-STAL SET
Cry (CRY) at the “stalest” broadcast (STAL-SET) from = CRYSTAL SET: old radio.16 He might trade in candles for something for a door, in chromium (8)C(HANDLE)R
In “chromium” (C-R) something for a door (HANDLE) for = CHANDLER: he might trade in candles.18 How the animals line up, to eat at McDonald’s, for example? (4,5)FOOD CHAIN
How the animals line up to eat (FOOD CHAIN) at “McDonald’s”, for example? (FOOD CHAIN).20 Ed is back with a lout to make distributions (4,3)DE-A-L OUT
“Ed” is back (DE) with “a lout” (A L-OUT) = DEAL OUT: to make distributions.21 Can I be friendly? (7)AM-I-ABLE
Can I (AM I ABLE) be = AMIABLE: friendly.23 Became aware it’s all right to be in awe (5)AW(OK)E
In “awe” (AW-E) it’s “all right” (OK) = AWOKE: became aware.25 Called Edward about the morning (5)N(AM)ED
Edward (N-ED) about “the morning” (AM) = NAMED: called.26 Takes drugs for Ulster’s odd characters (4)USES
“U-l-S-t-E-r-S” odd characters, for = USES: takes drugs.